A Simple Act of Kindness

For a long while, I never felt like I could get up and go to school. It always felt like the pain was too much and it wasn’t worth the struggle. Then, freshman year, my pain started improving and I could manage it a bit better. I would go to school more often, but on days where I was experiencing pain, I would easily give up and say I couldn’t do it.

That was until sophomore year when I found a reason I wanted to fight the pain and go. When I got my schedule for sophomore year, I showed my older sister, but she had never met a majority of the names listed. My history teacher’s name, Ms. Dimmig, stood out because my sister had never even heard it. She had graduated two years earlier and had never known anyone that had her. I came to learn that it was due to it only being Ms. Dimmig’s second year teaching at my school. In just the first month of being in her class, I grew to admire Ms. Dimmig’s positive attitude, open mind, and motivation. Ms. Dimmig goes out of her way to make learning and understanding the topics that she is teaching as easy as she can for each individual student.

It was when we started listening to Hamilton songs during class that I started talking to Ms. Dimmig more about our shared love for the musical. Over that time I began to share my story with her, to which she welcomed with an open mind. Sometimes, people will start to treat you like you’re made of glass after learning about the pain you’re in. I never felt judged or treated differently after she knew what I had going on outside of the classroom.

Ever since, I have been looking forward to school every day because I get to see Ms. Dimmig. Even when I worry that the pain is too much, I tell myself that if I fight through it now, but end up feeling like I can't make it through the whole day, there is someone I can go to for help. When I seem to be having a rough day, Ms. Dimmig will stop me outside of the classroom or grab me in lunch and do what she can to make me feel at least a little bit better than I was.

I’m not sure if Ms. Dimmig knows how much her little gestures impact my hard days. To quote her, “I think as human beings we often underestimate the power of a small thoughtful gesture.” If I do end up having to miss school, my day is brightened when Ms. Dimmig emails me and asks how I’m feeling. Just that small reminder that someone cares and is thinking of me, sets me in gear to do everything I can to feel better before the following day, so I can go back to school. She will often look over my contributions on Fight Like A Warrior when I ask her to and give me feedback on what I’ve done, or just reassure me when I doubt myself.

I’m very fortunate to have met Ms. Dimmig this year, and that she has been so active in my journey. Thank you, Ms. Dimmig, for teaching me that it’s okay to fall down sometimes, and that when I do, I have the strength to get back up.

It is so important to find the people that make fighting your battle a little easier. The people you surround yourself with often contribute to your well being and state of mind. I hope that everyone is lucky enough to have someone that helps them as much as Ms. Dimmig has helped me.